13 Shellfish Recipes That Will Make You Feel Like You're Dining Out

Ranchero Shrimp

Shellfish recipes don't come much simpler than this 30-minute meal. But don't be fooled by the quick prep time and short ingredient list; you won't be sacrificing one ounce of flavor. Chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, lime, and fresh cilantro infuse each shrimp with a large amount of Mexican flair. Try this versatile main dish over Mexican rice, tucked inside a tortilla, or as part of a burrito bowl.

• Related: Easy, Healthy Shrimp Recipes That Will Become Regulars on Your Dinner Rotation

Lemony Mussels with Cherry Tomatoes and Potatoes

Choose your own adventure with this restaurant-quality shellfish recipe. After a mere 15 minutes of assembly, you can prepare it fast (in the pressure cooker) or slow (in your slow cooker). Either way, the tiny potatoes become tender while the mussels marinate in a savory white wine-infused broth. Garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon, then serve with copious amounts of crusty bread to sop up every last drop.

Classic Crab Cakes

It's tough to beat a classic. This shellfish dish goes heavy on the crab and light on the filler so the seafood itself can really shine. Dijon mustard, garlic, green onions, and fresh parsley perk up the flavors. Try mini patties as a party appetizer, or make them regular size to enjoy atop a salad, inside a sandwich, or to replace the English muffin portion of eggs Benedict.

Lemon Scallops

The three secrets to perfectly-cooked, never rubbery scallops? First, a searing hot pan. Second, immaculately dry seafood. And lastly, not crowding the scallops as they cook. From there, this simple yet elegant shellfish recipe is almost done. Finish by whisking up a quick white wine pan sauce using the drippings, then plate and devour. You're about to feel like you're dining at a gourmet bistro.

• Related: How to Cook Scallops to Flawless, Never-Rubbery Doneness

Fast or Slow Seafood Cioppino

For those nights when it's too tough to choose just one seafood, chow down on some cioppino. Featuring your favorite firm white fish, shrimp, crab meat and clam juice, this comforting Italian-American shellfish dish sure looks and tastes complex. But you are the only one who needs to know that the Instant Pot or slow cooker did nearly all the work to make this super stew possible.

Macaroni and Brie with Crab

When we're craving a food hug type of meal, a creamy, steaming bowl of macaroni and cheese is tough to beat. This upscale but low-fuss upgrade makes the concept even more irresistible, thanks to silky Brie cheese, pleasantly sweet caramelized onions, and flaky crab—all topped with fresh breadcrumbs. But don't just take our word for it that you should make this mac ASAP. One fan says that with this shellfish recipe, our Test Kitchen "took ordinary homemade mac and cheese up to a new level of deliciousness. It's my new favorite pasta dish!"

Air-Fryer Panko Coconut Shrimp

A triple dose of tropical ingredients—coconut milk, shredded coconut, and coconut oil—takes the classic restaurant appetizer of fried shrimp on a trip to the islands. Cooking the shellfish dish in an air fryer means that this high-protein, high-flavor shrimp recipe is healthy enough to eat any time you like. (Not just when you're on vacation!) To balance the slightly sweet coconut elements, serve with chili sauce to dunk.

Easy Boiled Lobster

Invest a little time to save a lot of money. Instead of ordering this shellfish dish while you're out on the town, take 30 minutes to master how to cook lobster to succulent perfection. Besides lobster, a pot of water, a pinch of salt, a stack of napkins, and a side of clarified butter for dipping are the only other elements you'll need to depart on a cravings-busting dinner cruise right around your own dinner table.

Mixed Seafood Paella

Another multi-shellfish dish, this Spanish-inspired rice recipe is one of our go-to party entrées. In addition to feeding six people from one pan, it's easy to customize and make with any or all of the seafood mix. (We recommend clams, mussels, and squid.) Sweet smoked paprika, saffron, and seafood stock or chicken broth permeate every bite of the paella. While there's no bad spoonful, our favorite is one that includes the crispy bits of rice that char beautifully along the bottom of the pot.

Baja-Med Mussels

Even if you can't book a trip to Baja California, a peninsula in Northwestern Mexico, this 30-minute shellfish recipe will make you feel like you're almost actually there. This is fusion food at its best, and the mussels main dish highlights the fact that Mexican and Mediterranean ingredients can overlap. You'll find tomatoes, onions, and garlic that are common in both cuisines, plus just enough white wine and lime to cut through the richness the pat of butter offers in the sauce.

Sesame-Soy Noodles with Shrimp

This shellfish recipe is so tasty, you just might make it twice each week. So what makes this stir-fry so stellar? We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the fact that it can be on your table just 25 minutes from now, but the real magic happens when a few simple flavor-boosters team up. Ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil glaze every noodle, shrimp, and bite of bok choy with umami-rich goodness.

Spaghetti with Clams

For another stand-out seafood pasta, let's "fly" to Italy to enjoy a five-star feast that's our riff on linguine with clams. The sauce is so simple—olive oil, shallots, white wine, crushed red pepper, and broth—that the flavor of the clams themselves can really shine. And it's also so simple, you probably won't need to snag anything else at the story besides the seafood. (By the way, you could absolutely try this shellfish dish with any long-cut pasta you have on hand.)

Oysters Rockefeller Sourdough Stuffing

True, shellfish recipes aren't a mainstay on every traditional Thanksgiving menu. (Although we wouldn't be mad about switching things up and sharing a long table topped with a low-country seafood boil instead of turkey every once in a while.) But this sourdough stuffing recipe makes it possible to seamlessly slip a shellfish recipe into the lineup of any holiday or Sunday dinner. Inspired by the appetizer of oysters Rockefeller, this stuffing delivers a dose of French luxury without the impressive price tag.